MariaOrdish

Hello all. Planning a trip from Munich to Vienna with stops in Salzburg....the lakes....and Danube Valley the first two weeks of September. Should we, as first-timers, stay in Hallstatt or St. Wolfgang to explore a little? Also...is Mondsee worth a stop on the way back from the Wachau Valley? We head to Chiemsee after that. My head is spinning, so any advice is welcomed!

bobthenavigator

I would stay in St. Gilgen and see Salzburg, the Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, and Hallstatt all from there---why change hotels?

ira

Hi MO,

>Should we, as first-timers, stay in Hallstatt or St. Wolfgang to explore a little?<
You will be pleased, eeither way.

We stayed in Hallstatt.

You might find my trip report helpful.
Ira Visits Europe – May, 2007 (Salzburg, Fuessen, Bodensee, Burgundy, Alsace)
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=35014078

Enjoy your visit.

scatcat

I went to Mondsee last month. The only thing that was of interest to me was the church and that didn't take long to snap the picture. Hallstatt is my favorite of all the towns you mentioned. It may not be the best choice for day trips. When I am there I go to Dachstein and go by cable car up to Five Fingers. Beautiful views from there. Or I take the funicular up the mountain, even if I do not go to the salt mines. It is a nice walk with views there also.

ana222

we stayed near Satlzburg and did a day trip to Hallstatt (we don't like to rush, but it was enough!). one day we drove around other lakes. Satlzburg - 2 days. I wouldn't change hotels either.

MariaOrdish

Ok. Thank you. We will have a car...so I suppose the exploring will be easier. We already have two days in Salzburg and then want to stay on a lake.

Would anyone know anything about the Hollmann-Beletage in Vienna?

molker

Hollmann Beletage is a small boutique hotel ( 25 rooms ? )
It is well located on a narrow one way street jn the city center- perhaps 5 minuters walk to Stephansdom.
Waliking distance to much sightseeing - many restaurants near by
due to small size limited services but a nice place.

St. Gilgen makes a better base to explore the overall Salzkammergut in my opinion- more central and easy access to Salzburg city too.
Hallstatt makes a nice day trip.

Mondsee Church was used as the wedding scene Church in Sound of Music film-this the town major claim to fame.

MariaOrdish

Ah, I see. Thank you. We booked the Hollmann. Keeping my fingers crossed. Most hotels were full.

bettyk

I agree with others who suggest you stay in St. Gilgen. We are going back for our 3rd visit in September. From there, you can easily reach all the places you mention including Salzburg.

Last September, we drove over to Mondsee after visiting Salzburg. Unfortunately it was Sunday afternoon and we had trouble find a parking place near the church. We ended up parking at the lake and walking around for awhile.

If you do decide to stay in St. Gilgen, I can highly recommend the Schernthaner Hotel. Nice accommodations and friendly owner who has lived in St. Gilgen all of her life.

http://www.hotel-schernthaner.at/sei...sh/index_e.htm

tjs123

Just wondering why people dont recommned Salzburg as a base? It would seem that Salzburg is a quite a visit in it's self and also close enough for day trips around the area.. I am also looking into this area and trying to decide on 2 or 3 nights in this area and wether to focus on Salzburg with side trips or make base somewhere else and do a day trip to Salzburg?

scatcat

The OP states she is staying in Salzburg, but she also wants to stay in a town on a lake.

I second the recommendation of Hotel Schernthaner if you decide on St. Gilgen. I've stayed there twice and I really like it.

But please do not miss Hallstatt!

bettyk

The old part of Salzburg is quite lovely but we prefer to stay in smaller towns on a lake, river or in the mountains.

There is traffic in Salzburg just like any other city of its size. Also, with a car there are some narrow streets in the old part of town that make it more difficult getting into and out of town for day trips.

If you are relying on public transport, then Salzburg might make better sense.

Another advantage for us is the rate at our favorite hotel in St. Gilgen is less than 80 Euro per night with included parking and breakfast. Plus, they have a lift. Not easy to find that kind of rate in Salzburg, not to mention a lift!

For us, it is a short drive from St. Gilgen into Salzburg. It cost us a few Euro to park in a parking garage near all the sights. We can spend hours seeing what we want and then drive back to our lovely little hotel in St. Gilgen.

Maybe not for everybody, but it works for us.

scatcat

I'm with you on that Betty. I would rather go into Salzburg on a day trip. That's exactly what I did last month. I stayed 4 nights in St. Gilgen.

joannyc

I prefer to split my nights between Salzburg and the Lake District (my preference is St. Wolfgang).

I certainly don't want to drive those dark, curvy roads after a couple of glasses of wine or beer on the way back from Salzburg to the Lake District.

And, Salzburg being 30-45 minutes from St. Gilgen, why waste 1 1/2 hours per day traveling back and forth and finding parking? How long can it possibly take to pack your bag, check out, and drive to your next destination... unless you unpack everything in your bag???

Just saying...

MariaOrdish

Very good advice! Thank you. No, we didn't want to be driving back and forth on a glass of wine with dinner. And we wanted to wake up on a lake and see it at it's finest. I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis, even though I am young, and need to be stationed closer to the sightseeing...at the end of the day sometimes I just want to fall into bed! Thanks again! I am sure this will give us a good over-view for a return trip in the future.

kfusto

We do not drive and rely on public transport. Our preference is to stay in Salzburg as we enjoy the energy of the city and the diverse range of accommodations and dining options.

We found St. Gilgen absolutely charming and also enjoyed St. Wolfgang but for us, we need a bit more going on to keep us occupied when we settle in for several days so Salzburg works well for our needs.

We found day trips easy by public transport though I am sure a car allows for more flexibility. We go in December and live in Florida so the thought of driving on potentially icy and always curvy roads has no appeal whatsoever, especially after dinner with wine!